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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355931">You Shine On (Kyman)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Believemeitsover/pseuds/Believemeitsover'>Believemeitsover</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>South Park</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Cheating, Depression, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Gang Violence, Gangs, Gay, Gay Panic, High School, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Investigations, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Murder, Murder Mystery, My First South Park Fic, Police, Recreational Drug Use, Self-Harm, Serial Killers, Supernatural Elements</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:22:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,336</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Believemeitsover/pseuds/Believemeitsover</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I've found a dead body in the woods. It's someone I know, and it looks like murder." </p><p>***</p><p>"Hey... Jew?" are the two nervous words that fall out of eighteen year old Eric Cartman's mouth and open this unsettling tale. He and his secret "special" companion simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when they stumbled upon the mortifying fate of a classmate. Now they are living in a conservative, homophobic South Park that is controlled by two violent gangs - The Razors and The Cobras - and to top it all off, there's a killer on the loose. </p><p>Is there any hope for two innocent queers to finish their last year of highschool and leave town undiscovered?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clyde Donovan/Bebe Stevens, Clyde Donovan/Craig Tucker, Clyde Donovan/Kevin Stoley, Craig Tucker/Tweek Tweak, Kenny McCormick/Leopold "Butters" Stotch, Kyle Broflovski/Eric Cartman, Stan Marsh/Wendy Testaburger, Token Black/Clyde Donovan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. In the Woods Somewhere</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If you're reading this, thank you so much!!<br/>I decided I wanted to write something spooky in spirit of the season, and lately I can't get enough Kyman so here I am lol. I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>May 11th</b>
  </p>
  <p>
    <b>18:39</b>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Hey... Jew?" Eric's shaky voice pulled Kyle out of his momentary trance. They were leaving school together after debate club where they had put on another very convincing act. As they walked through a small clearing in the woods near Stark's Pond, Kyle's attention had been completely ensnared by the spattering of light through the trees dancing around Eric Cartman, making him look-</p>
  <p>"Kyle!"</p>
</div><p>"Yes- er, yeah, what's up?"</p><p>Kyle watched absently as Eric's eyes widened and his mouth fell agape. He attempted several times to speak but nothing came out.</p><p>"Cartman?"</p><p>Eric stepped away from the sunken patch of grass next to him. He lifted a trembling hand and pointed at it.</p><p>"There's a..."</p><p>Kyle stepped forward to investigate whatever had suddenly ensnared his normally collected friend. He swiftly closed the distance between himself and Eric with a few short strides of his long legs. The smell hit him in the face with the force of a blunt object.</p><p>"Oh my God," Kyle croaked. The ground started tilting to the left, his brain slammed inside his skull and a hot wave of nausea washed over him. His knees buckled and he went to the ground. He wretched, violently.</p><p>"You alright, Kyle?" asked Eric, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Kyle only shook his head.</p><p>"That's... That's-"</p><p>"I know," Eric deadpanned.</p><p>Kyle heaved again. Eric stayed by his side the entire time, rubbing his back and offering him sips from his water bottle. Just to rinse his mouth out, if not anything else.</p><p>Eventually Kyle was able to pull himself from the ground. He threw himself into Eric's arms without even a glance for bystanders. He began to cry silently, gripping the seams of Eric's bright red jacket tightly in white-knuckle fists. He felt Eric's arms slowly wrap around his waist and pull him closer.</p><p>"What... What do we do?" Kyle hiccupped into Eric's broad shoulder. "What are we supposed to do!"</p><p>"Shh, relax," said Eric softly. "I'll call Sergeant Yates, okay? Hey, look at me-"</p><p>Eric cupped Kyle's face in his hand and met his eyes.</p><p>"You're okay, I got you. I'll keep you safe no matter what."</p><p>Eric's eyes drifted from Kyle's bright green ones, back over to the rancid discovery mere feet away from where they stood.</p><p>"Let's get out of this clearing," Eric suggested, seeming much more put together after Kyle's pathetic reaction. "Then I'll call Yates."</p><p>Kyle let Eric grasp his hand and pull him away. Away from the smell, horror and terror. Kyle would happily follow Eric anywhere, anywhere that wasn't the woods, near that <em>thing.</em> With each step he felt himself relax a little more, and Eric's hand in his was a saving grace. He felt as if he were being guided out of a nightmare by an angel or a light spirit... Or something...</p><p>He realized that Eric had never held his hand in public for this long. Of course, Kyle was sure he was trying to ease his panic, but... He also seemed frightened. Maybe not in the same way that Kyle felt, but frightened nonetheless. Frightened, perhaps, of anything happening to him.</p><p>Eric stopped walking at a large stump that wasn't near the mouth of the clearing or the main trail, then pulled out his cell. Kyle watched him pause briefly before he begun dialing. Relief washed over him knowing that they had service.</p><p>Eric sat down heavily on the stump and beckoned Kyle to him. He obliged only to be pulled down into Eric's lap and entirely encircled by his embrace. There was no doubt to him now that Eric was terrified.</p><p>"Yes, hi, this is Eric Cartman and I need to speak with Sergeant Yates immediately," his words were gruff as they buzzed against Kyle's ear. "It's extremely urgent, I wouldn't call if it weren't, but I imagine he'll want to keep the presses at an arm's length for this one as long as he can and... Just transfer me over to him!"</p><p>Kyle flinched in place when Eric raised his voiced. It didn't go unnoticed, Eric mouthed a sincere-looking "<em>I'm sorry</em>" at him as he tucked a stray red curl back under his green hat.</p><p>"Hi Sergeant, this is Eric Cartman," he repeated. Kyle could see him visibly struggling to recount what they had seen. He squeezed one of his meaty thighs encouragingly.</p><p>"The reason I'm calling you is... I-I've found a dead body in the woods. It's someone I know, and it looks like murder."</p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>19:54</b>
  </p>
</div><p>How much time had passed from when those words were spoken to Kyle sitting rigid and expressionless at the police station, he did not know. Eric wasn't at his side anymore and their usual facade of hating each other had been pulled back over like a veil. Sergeant Yates had escorted Eric away to be interviewed, leaving Kyle alone with Officer Murphy - a handsome man who worked at Yates side - while the rest of the station operated in a frenzy.</p><p>He heard the officer clear his throat, so he snuck a side glance at him. He accidentally caught the officers eye, and immediately snapped his head back, embarrassed. He bawled his fists in his lap. His cheeks flushed scarlet not only from humiliation, but because he found this officer attractive. Kyle recalled him from his youth, hired onto the force as a young sprite when their town was first being revitalized years ago. They've both got on in years of course, as did the town itself, but Kyle thought the man still looked good in what appeared to be his forties. </p><p>"Anxious?" Officer Murphy interrupted Kyle's internal spiral. His voice sounded like it used to be soothing and natural, but had become ragged due to years of a cigarette habit. Kyle had a sudden image of Eric and himself sitting on Eric's bed while the beefy boy ripped a ridiculously sized bowl from an even more ridiculously sized bong. A mildly annoying vice that Kyle tolerated.</p><p>"Don't worry," the officer continued, sitting down casually next to him. "You guys aren't suspects or anything. In these circumstances we need the most accurate story possible, and we obtain that information through witness accounts."</p><p>"Our stories are the exact same," Kyle muttered.</p><p>"It may appear that way on the surface," Officer Mitch allowed. "However, the brain works a little differently during or after a shock. There's a good chance your story has details that Mr. Cartman's doesn't, simply because he didn't notice them while he was scared. Sometimes even the tiniest details can give away major clues so your time here is valued, even if you don't think so."</p><p>"Officer-"</p><p>"Mitch is fine, son."</p><p>"Right, er... I have a question," Kyle waited for him to say something. When he stayed silent he pressed on.</p><p>"This is a pretty big case. I imagine the media is going to want to get their hands all over it... I guess my question is, would you be able to make sure that Cartman and I... That our names..." Kyle's voice cracked and his throat started to close. Luckily, he didn't need to suffer through the rest because Mitch gave an understanding nod.</p><p>"I think I hear what you're trying to say," he assured him. "I won't question or judge. If you want your identities protected you can count on us."</p><p>A shadow fell over them.</p><p>"Alrighty son, it's your turn." Kyle looked up at Sergeant Yates who now towered in front of him. Eric stood beside him, so timid he almost looked small.</p><p>Kyle swallowed the lump in his throat and allowed himself to be carted away.</p><p>
  <strong>***</strong>
</p><p>
  <b>23:15</b>
</p><p>When both boys arrived at Eric's house later that evening, they were exhausted. Lianne Cartman wasn't home, so there was no explaining to be done on Eric's end. Kyle, on the other hand, had to agonize through roughly forty minutes of his mother losing her sanity over the phone. Despite the promises to remove Kyle and Eric from the narrative, it seemed things would always slip through the cracks in a town so small. Besides, everyone in South Park knew that Sheila Broflovski was crazy, but she would tear limbs apart to protect her family.</p><p>After a lot of tedious reassuring, Kyle managed to convince his mom that he was okay, and that he would be okay at Eric's for the night. This was one of the very few times Kyle was actually open and honest about where he was spending the night. In this situation it was perfectly reasonable: <em>"Cartman's really shaken up about the whole thing and his mom isn't home, so I told him I'd stay the night and play Xbox with him."</em></p><p>The truth was, Kyle and Eric had become more so friends than enemies by the age of thirteen. By age sixteen, they had terribly sweet secrets between them that they didn't even tell their best friends. The only people in the entire world that knew the real Kyle and Eric were Lianne Cartman and Heidi Turner. Lianne was always very loving and accepting of her son no matter what, and was smart enough to keep a lid on it due to all the criminal activity and gang culture that now existed in South Park. Heidi was Kyle's first and only real girlfriend, and comically enough was the same for Eric. Now she is Kyle's loyal beard, not interested in anything other than making sure her two favourite boys don't get jumped and whacked. When Kyle spends the night with Eric, he tells his parents he's at Heidi's. Sure, they were adults now, technically, but when you lived under someone else's roof you followed the rules or you hit the streets. Plus, the two conservative street gangs that pretty much ran South Park wouldn't let the boys live for five whole minutes if their secret ever got out.</p><p>Kyle expected Eric to grab his bong and start smoking immediately, so he intented to collapse on the bright purple bean bag chair and play something mindless on Xbox. Before he could do so, he was being grabbed from behind and pulled onto Eric's bed. He practically melted into Eric's arms, feeling more secure than he did anywhere else.</p><p>"Can you turn and look at me?" Eric pleaded. Kyle did as he was asked and rolled over. He brought up a hand to rest on Eric's soft cheek.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>Kyle was not okay.</p><p>"Yeah," he lied. "It's just... That was a lot, y'know, today..."</p><p>Eric nodded.</p><p>"I'm so scared for it to be in the news in the morning," Kyle admitted. "Their poor parents..."</p><p>Eric quieted both Kyle's voice and his worries when he pressed a passionate kiss to his lips. It turned into a long, deep kiss that became feverishly more aggressive until they were forced to pull apart and gasp for air.</p><p>They started to cry. Just Eric at first, he had let a small tear escape and roll down the cheek that Kyle was holding. When Kyle felt that, it broke him immediately. They both let it out, clutching each other desperately. They sobbed incomprehensible nothings into each others shoulders while the emotions took toll on their delicate and already damaged psyches.</p><p>"I promise I'll keep you safe, Kyle. I swear to God I won't let anything happen to you."</p><p>"I know." </p><p>Eric rolled onto his back and pulled his lanky companion against his side. Kyle was happy to rest his head on Eric's chest and feel the soothing rhythm of his breathing. The anxiety coursing through Kyle was still crippling, and he knew in the morning they would both have to face reality once their trauma was plastered on every screen. For now though, he laid next to his safe space and favourite person, feeling safe despite knowing there was a killer running amuck in their tiny, insignificant town.</p><p>Eric's breathing became a lullaby for Kyle, and after the days events, it didn't take long for it to drag him under.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Resource</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After the discovery at Stark's pond, Eric and Kyle meet up with the others to discuss the gang problem.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this update took so long! I got my heart broken lol. Here it is tho.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>May 12th</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <b>09:32</b>
</p><p>Kyle was awake before Eric, which was nothing new or unusual. Eric had been smoking weed since he was fourteen or fifteen, and all it did was make him lazier, in Kyle's opinion.</p><p>Reality hadn't set in yet. Kyle slid out of Eric's arms and silently rolled out of bed. He took a trip to the bathroom before heading downstairs to put the kettle on the stove. As he descended the steps he noticed that Lianne was home and sitting on the couch scrolling on her tablet. She looked up when she heard Kyle's footsteps.</p><p>"Oh, good morning Kyle," she greeted warmly. "The kettle is still hot, if that's what you're after."</p><p>"Thanks Ms. Cartman," Kyle smiled sheepishly as he passed by on his way to the kitchen. On his way back with a piping hot cup of tea in hand, Lianne addressed him again.</p><p>"Are you alright, honey?" she asked, her voice filled with compassion.</p><p>"Uh, yeah," Kyle nodded. "I'm good, I just-"</p><p>"I know you weren't close friends, but..." she didn't finish her thought. She fixated her eyes on hr feet.</p><p>Kyle was momentarily dumbfounded. He stared at her with a quirked eyebrow for several long seconds before it finally dawned on him.</p><p>"Oh," he said dumbly, then, "oh my God! Oh my God!"</p><p>He bolted up the stairs without another word, scalding his fingers as hot liquid splashed over the sides.</p><p>"Cartman?" he swung the door open wildly. The brunet was awake and sitting hunched over his phone. He looked up at Kyle standing in the doorway, eyes glistening. He said nothing, only beckoned Kyle over to the bed and handed him his phone.</p><p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>LOCAL TEEN FOUND DEAD BEHIND </b>
    <b>STARK'S</b>
    <b> POND</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>Sat. May 12th, 20XX</b>
  </span>
</p><p></p><div>
  <p>Around approximately 7:30pm yesterday evening, two South Park High students walking home from school stumbled upon the mutilated and discarded remains of one of their peers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The body was identified as the now deceased nineteen year old Clyde Donovan.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I almost didn't recognize [Donovan]," claimed one of two witnesses, referring to the evidential torture displayed on the victim's body. Police have reported patches of shaved hair, hair matted with blood, as well as bruises around the wrists, ribcage and throat that suggest signs of struggle. The victim appears to have been raped and sodomized.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>At this time there is no suspect, the SPPD is asking for any reports or witness accounts regarding suspicious activity in the Stark's Pond area yesterday, and to report it to the number below. The SPPD will be releasing an official statement regarding the investigation as well as a new town curfew.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>1-8XX-XXX-XXX</em>
  </p>
</div><p>There it was. The whole thing summarized in barely five paragraphs. Kyle was immobilized, speechless. He could feel Eric shaking with uncontrollable sobs.</p><p>"Who could've done this?" he cried. Kyle could only shake his head and pull Eric into his arms.</p><p>"We're just supposed to go back to school on Monday and act like that didn't happen," he murmured into Kyle's shirt.</p><p>"Shh," Kyle cooed. He rubbed his back lovingly until he started to calm down.</p><p>"You don't have to act like anything for anyone," Kyle told him. "We can talk to someone about this, we can go back to the police station and tell them everything in case there's something we forgot."</p><p>"I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to forget it even happened."</p><p>Eric shrugged off Kyle's arms and stood up. He headed towards his computer chair and sat down heavy. The chair whined under his weight in protest. Kyle watched as he used his socked feet to wheel around the room for his bong and weed before finally settling next to the window.</p><p>"You sure you don't want any?" Eric asked with a smirk. He didn't wait for a response before bracing his mouth against the glass and lighting his toke. While he was preoccupied, Kyle got up and joined him by the window, leaning against the sill as he waited.</p><p>Eric blew out a large cloud of smoke and coughed once. He looked up at Kyle quizzically.</p><p>"Yeah, I'll have some."</p><p>Kyle surprised himself with this decision. At eighteen - almost nineteen, with his birthday coming up - Kyle had never smoked weed in his life. In the fourth grade, he along with his friends stole some cigarettes from their parents and tried their hand at it. It was awful, he remembered getting sick in the grass after they had been caught by their guidance counsellor and set fire to the school. He smiled to himself recalling the disgusting snot rocket his best friend Stan had produced during that mishap. He spent so much of his childhood telling Eric that he was stupid that it wasn't until he started to mature that he realized all three of his close friends were unrelentingly stupid, including himself.</p><p>"Wait, Kyle are you serious?" Eric perked up. "Do you really want some?"</p><p>Kyle nodded.</p><p>"Er, alright. Okay!" Eric looked around the room, clearly excited. "Well you're not hitting that thing, first."</p><p>Eric gestured towards his large, prized glass instrument.</p><p>"I think I left my rolling papers in the garage, so I'll just go there and roll and joint real quick, alright?" he got up and planted a kiss on Kyle's cheek before dashing out of the room.</p><p>Kyle took the opportunity to steal Eric's chair and opened his phone to the app he and his friends used to chat and game together.</p><p><b>09:53 </b>- <span class="u"><b>@bro.flovski99</b></span><em>is online</em></p><p><b>stan_the_man: </b>kyle!!! where have you been??</p><p><b>stan_the_man: </b>i called u like 8 times</p><p><b>ButterBall_09:</b> We've been worried sick, Kyle! What happened? Have you seen Eric?</p><p><b>stan_the_man: </b>do you know what happened last night??</p><p><b>bro.flovski99: </b>yeah, I know...</p><p><b>bro.flovski99:</b> I'm with Cartman right now</p><p><b>OrangeDepression</b><b>: </b>let the man breathe.</p><p><b>stan_the_man:</b> has anyone talked to Token or Bebe?</p><p><b>ButterBall_09: </b>Token hasn't been online since yesterday. Maybe ask your gf if she's talked to Bebe?</p><p>
  <b>
    <span class="u">@CartmanBrah420 </span>
  </b>
  <em>is online</em>
</p><p><b>CartmanBrah420: </b>can you guys like chill</p><p><b>CartmanBrah420:</b> ur stressing out the Jew</p><p><b>CartmanBrah420:</b> we all need to meet up and talk tho</p><p>Kyle looked up from the chat when he saw Eric's messages, but he had not yet returned.</p><p><b>ButterBall_09:</b> Sure thing Eric, where were you thinking?</p><p><b>stan_the_man: </b>and why??</p><p><b>CartmanBrah420:</b> just be at Sizzler's by noon.</p><p><b>bro.flovski99: </b>and go in a group. No one should be walking around alone right now.</p><p><b>stan_the_man: </b>i can just pick u guys up</p><p><b>bro.flovski99: </b>you can take Kenny and Butters, Cartman and I will meet you there.</p><p>Kyle closed the app after that, and not a moment later Eric came back into the room. He held up a thick joint for Kyle to see.</p><p>"You ready, Jew?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Kyle watched intently as Eric lit the end of the joint and then put it to his lips, still holding the flame to it. He puffed out some smoke and offered it to Kyle. Kyle took it from him with a delicate pinch.</p><p>"Now you just wanna pull the smoke into your mouth first, then inhale," Eric explained.</p><p>Kyle put the joint to his lips and did as instructed. He barely inhaled at all, or at least he didn't think he did, but he felt his lungs and throat recoil immediately.</p><p>"Oh fuck-" he managed to wheeze before his body was over taken with a whooping cough. Eric stood back and cackled. He took the joint from Kyle's hand and placed it back in between his lips.</p><p>It was several minutes before Kyle was able to recover. He didn't feel high at all, which he was pretty sure was normal. He held out his hand for Eric to pass it back to him.</p><p>"That's right," Eric nodded. "I ain't raising no bitch."</p><p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>***</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <b>11:55</b>
</p><p>Two hours slipped by like water down the drain. When it was time for the boys to meet at Sizzler's was when Kyle finally realized how high he was. He felt relaxed and giddy, and Eric was more humourous than he had ever been. It made Kyle feel slightly uncomfortable, because he knew if it weren't for Eric's supply, he wouldn't feel this way. False positive feelings.</p><p>They took the bus the majority of the way, and then walked the three blocks to the restaurant. While they traveled, they purposely allowed at least a foot of space between them. When the two were alone, the could be practically glued together. In public on the other hand, they both had the sound minds to take extreme caution, carefully planning routed that aren't frequently patrolled by The Razors. They were easily identified by their yellow bandanas and could often be spotted in the suburban area that the boys resided in. The Cobras kept to the other side of town, near the church and Stark's pond.</p><p>When they arrived in front of Sizzler's they could see that Stan and the other's had already arrived, given that his car was parked across the street.</p><p>"They must be inside already," noted Eric. The pair entered the restaurant together, Eric holding the door open for Kyle.</p><p>They could see the other three right from the front doors, and headed to join them immediately at the semi-circle booth designated for larger dining groups.</p><p>"Hey guys!" Butters greeted them cheerfully as they slide into the booth. This attitude was customary for Butters, but Kyle still found it uncomfortable given circumstances. The whole situation felt incredibly solemn, and Kyle felt there should be a touch more respect.</p><p>Kyle and Eric gave curt greetings that were broken off by the arrival of a waitress. Kyle thought he recognized her from school - what was her name, Powder? - but quickly decided it didn't matter. She was extremely polite as she told them all about the lunch specials and then promptly took their drink orders.</p><p>After she was out of earshot, Stan leaned in close to the group.</p><p>"So, what's up guys?" he inquired. "Why'd you ask us to meet up?"</p><p>Kyle and Eric passed an anxious look between each other.</p><p>"Well, we are operating under the understanding that you've all heard the news about Clyde..." Eric admitted quietly.</p><p>The boys all nodded in unison.</p><p>Eric took a deep breath before he continued.</p><p>"We're the ones who found him. In the woods. Yesterday, after school."</p><p>Butters, Stan and Kenny stared wide-eyed with mouths agape.</p><p>"We asked the police to remove our names from the media because, well... Those two gangs are no joke. We have no idea what they think or do about local information. Not to mention, for all we know one of those gangs could've been responsible for killing him."</p><p>There was a shared discomfort exchanged amongst the five boys. Before their conference could go on, the waitress - whom Kyle now confirmed was Powder by glancing at her name tag - returned with their drinks and asked if they were ready to order. They all made their choices from the lunch menu, keeping things cheap. After all, the only one of them who had a full time job was Stan, who dropped out of school after his father's alcoholism led to severe depression, meaning he couldn't take care of Sharon, who had fallen ill to ovarian cancer. Kyle and the others had done nothing but support Stan through it all, although he did try to convince Stan to finish school.</p><p>"So..." Kenny spoke up first but didn't, or couldn't finish his thought.</p><p>"So I don't like living in fear," said Eric firmly. "Scared to walk home at night, scared my friends could be mugged or <em>raped.</em> I won't do it, I refuse to bow down and let people terrorize the town, scaring the kids and attacking people... There's a word for people like that."</p><p>Another bout of silence from the boys. It didn't need to be said, they all got the gist of Eric's words.</p><p>
  <em>Terrorist.</em>
</p><p>"Okay," Stan said slowly. "What're you saying? What do you want us to do?"</p><p>Eric flashed him a grin.</p><p>"Ah, yes. I have some thoughts."</p><p></p><div>
  <p>
    <b>***</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <b>12:13</b>
</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, Stan was storming out of Sizzler's.</p><p>"Stan, wait!" he could hear Kyle calling after him, but did not care. He was crazy, his best friend was backing up his worst enemy. He must've gone completely mad.</p><p>"Stan, WAIT!"</p><p>Stan stopped in his tracks and sighed heavily. He turned around to see all four of the others chasing after him.</p><p>"I won't do it," he declared before they had the chance to speak.</p><p>"Come on Stan, we have to do this together," Kyle argued.</p><p>"I won't do it," he repeated, feeling the anger boil inside of him.</p><p>"C'mon Stan, we need you on this," Kenny mumbled. Butters nodded in quiet agreement.</p><p>"I can't believe all of you are siding with him," Stan growled. "Especially you Kyle."</p><p>"They murdered our friend!" Butters shouted suddenly. His voice cracked.</p><p>"They murdered our friend and they're going to get away with it! They murdered our friend and the cops won't investigate them because they're scared! Please Stan, please help us avenge Clyde."</p><p>By the time he was finished there were fat tears rolling down his face.</p><p>"And that's <em>him </em>saying that," Eric pointed out.</p><p>Stan reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly crushed pack of cigarettes and lit one. He inhaled the smoke deeply, letting it ease his tensions.</p><p>"Fucking Christ," he muttered. "Fucking... Fuck. Fuck you guys."</p><p>He paused to take another drag from his smoke. The others watched him in half-cocked bewilderment.</p><p>"I'll do it, but if anything goes sour I'll resent each of you passionately for the rest of my life until you are all dead."</p><p>"Okay... Well that settles it then," Kyle said in low voice. "We'll split up and infiltrate the two gangs terrorizing South Park, and sabotage both from the inside."</p><p>"Okay, sure, but who goes where?" asked Butters.</p><p>"Ah, now about that," Eric chimed with another mischievous grin. "I have some more thoughts."</p>
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